It's Such A Wonderful Life
by Aurora Aurie
Summary: When Jack comes to Forget Me Not to escape his past, will he find more than he bargained for in a fiery red head?
1. Chapter 1

It was too dark. Where was his clock? The neon light that glowed outside his window?

And, ohh, why did everything hurt so much? The last time he'd felt this much pain was… No. No, no, no! He panicked, struggling against invisible bonds that snared his limbs. Then he heard that chilling voice, the source of all his pain and suffering.

"You're not fit to touch the fucking ground I walk on."

Those words were full of hate. He stopped his struggles paralyzed with the knowledge of what was coming next. The voice spoke up again.

"Just die."

Jack found his voice just as the flash of the silver blade sped towards his chest.

"Noooo!"

He woke up, his body tangled in coarse hotel linen. Covering his mouth with a palm to prevent any sound escaping, Jack flicked on the bedside lamp. His eyes darted anxiously from corner to corner.

There was no-one in his room, no-one hurrying to see what the commotion was about.

"No-one's there. Just a dream…" Jack relaxed slightly against the wooden headboard.

His gaze flickered to the clock on the bedside table, cheerily flashing _4:44 am._

"It figures."

------------

The Harvest Goddess gazed at Jack through the magical waters of her pond.

"Poor Jack. You've spent so long being tortured by that man, you've forgotten how to relax."

Gently stroking the surface on the water, she blurred the image, sending her magic out to the frazzled young man.

"Well, soon I'll be able to help you-"

The Harvest Goddess was cut off by the arrival of several Harvest Sprites. Dashing her hand across the surface of the water, she dispelled the image of Jack before turning to her servants.

"Harvest Goddess! The Witch Princess is breaking up couples, ruining crops and upsetting the animals!" A moustachioed Sprite cried out.

"She stole my hat too!" Another Sprite piped up, only to be silenced by his companions.

"Very well. I'll go and sort her out." The Harvest Goddess disappeared in a shower of sparks, swiftly followed by her minions.

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I know it's looks weird, but this is just an introduction. The real action starts in the next chapter! FYI, the title says Wonderful Life, but it's set in HMDS. =D


	2. Chapter 2

**I lost my chapters when I moved everything to my new laptop. _**

**I've rewritten two and three, but the rest have yet to come.**

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Jack gazed quietly down the hill at the sleepy village. He'd arrived in a bustling little town, and his hopes had grown at fading into obscurity. But a butch man called Zack had led him through the town to a secluded path. He'd instructed Jack to stick to the path to reach Forget Me Not, and apologised for not being able to take him all the way down. Zack had also instructed him to wait for a man named Takakura, who lived on the farm he'd just bought and would be helping him cultivate it.

"I wonder if he forgot..." Jack murmured, stamping him feet to get warm. Spring had just begun, and the chill grip of winter hadn't yet loosened. Flopping against a wall, Jack didn't notice the slight movement behind him.

"He-ey!" An unfamiliar voice called out from the bottom of the hill. Jack's head turned to the source of the noise. There was a man waving at the bottom. He looked like dark toffee that had been stretched until it was long and bendy. A friendly smile was pasted onto his face. Jack stood up and dusted himself off before jogging down the track. He felt his breath catch and he cursed inwardly.

"You're Jack, right?" The man grinned. "I'm Takakura. You can call me Taka, if you like." He extended a calloused hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Taka." Jack shook hands and smiled.

"Well, shall we head to your farm?" The two men walked side by side along a beaten earth path. There were buildings to the left, and a vast expanse of cropland to the right. Two women and a man were working the field. The two women expressed pleasant greetings towards Takakura and Jack while the man just nodded thoughtfully and continued with his work.

"Those people were Vesta, Celia and Marlin. Vesta owns the farm and her younger brother helps her make use of it. Celia, the young lady, came to Forget Me Not due to her ill health, and shortly afterwards began work on the farm. They all live in the buildings over there." Takakura nodded at the buildings on the right. They paused before a bridge and Takakura pointed down a track to his left.

"Nina and Galen live down there. A nice old couple. You should say hello when you get the chance. There isn't much else down there, but I suppose you could clear and till the land, should the need ever arise." Turning back to Vesta's farm, Takakura continued.

"There's also a dig site down that way. Turn left when you're facing the mountain path. Carter and his assistant live nearby."

They crossed the bridge into what seemed like the hub of the small village. Takakura began to explain again.

"This is the main path of the village. The Inn and the Blue Bar are found here. Ruby, her son Rock and her lodger Nami take care of the Inn, while Griffin and his barmaid Muffy live at the Blue Bar. Dr. Hardy lives in that house over there, and next to him live Grant and his daughter. Such a shame about his wife leaving... Anyway, Next to them live Wally, his wife Samantha and their son Hugh. Now, up the hill near _them,_ you'll find..." Jack began to quietly zone out. His eyelids began to close slightly, and he shook himself to stay awake. He tuned back into Taka's description of the town.

"...And finally, there's the Goddess Pond up the path to the right."

"A Goddess Pond?" Jack's eyebrows raised.

"Yep. Some believe that the Harvest Goddess resides there. But who in their right mind would live in a puddle? It's ludicrous. Anyway, this path leads to the farm. As long as you remember how to get here, you'll be fine." Takakura laughed.

Jack looked round the dishevelled farmland silently. His brow furrowed slightly as he counted the amount of weeds growing, and how long it would take to pull them all. Takakura watched him anxiously.

"Something wrong, Jack?" Jack jumped in surprise and shook his head.

"N-No, just wondering why the last owner left." Takakura sighed and stared out across the field.

"The last owner died. His only son is a stockbroker in the city, and didn't fancy dropping his expensive life to become a farmer." Takakura spat meditatively on the ground, then turned to Jack.

"So, why'd you buy the place?" Jack rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. Buying the farm had been an impulse move. He had bad memories of the city, and wanted to live somewhere he could forget about his past. Of course, buying a farm with his health wasn't the brightest of ideas, but maybe it was best not to mention that right now.

"I wanted to get away from the city. See and do something new." It wasn't a lie. He was just omitting some parts of the story.

"Well, you don't get much newer than a farm in spring." Takakura laughed and scratched his head.

"Why don't you go explore the town for today? Get a feel for the place. Your luggage is in your house, just yonder. And your cat is roaming about somewhere. Probably playing with that dog I saw before. Were playing real nice the other day, both of 'em. And a dog will be good to have around if you decide to keep livestock." Jack nodded and waved goodbye to Takakura as the older man strolled over to a small house near the entrance to the farm. Turning to face the main path, Jack stood and thought about where to go. From what little he'd heard, there wasn't much to see during the day; the Inn opened at night and that was where most of the "action" happened.

"Maybe I should check out that Goddess Pond that Taka mentioned..." Jack wandered along the path that led to the Pond.

Little did he know, he was being observed by some very small spies...

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Please R&R. =3


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks, Mashburn~**

**Yeah, my grammar can be pretty bad sometimes. xD**

**I guess it's just the way I write.**

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Jack walked past a small patch of earth. Stopping, he bent down and picked up a small yellow flower, twisting it gently between two fingers. Just beyond the scrubland, a deep pool was secreted inside a huddle of trees and strange crystalline plants, unlike any Jack had ever seen before. Padding over to the water, he flopped by the edge and traced one finger across its surface.

"It's certainly cleaner than city water, but is it worthy for a Goddess?" Jack snickered. He tossed the flower into the water and watched it spiral down into the depths. Standing up to leave, Jack turned away just as a spray of water hit him full in the back of the head.

"Ta-daaaaaa!" Jack was almost knocked to his knees. Turning around to snap at whoever had splashed him, the words died in his mouth as he saw the beautiful woman floating above the water.

"Ooh, an offering! I haven't had one of those in a while! And it's a pretty flower! Thank you Jack, I really like this!" The woman clapped her hands together and smiled. Jack stood silently, water dripping from his hair. The woman giggled.

"Are you surprised? Don't be! You threw an offering into the Goddess Pond, so the Goddess has come! ~"

"Y-You're the Goddess?!" Jack stammered, words coming to him at last.

"Don't sound so surprised! Do I not look the very vision of Goddessliness?" The Goddess pouted.

"No... I mean, yes... I mean... What's going on?!" Jack buried his face in his hands and groaned. The Goddess smiled.

"I am here to help you run the farm! Having a thriving farm will cheer up all the villagers, and will boost the nature around here. So, you'll need help to do it right! Especially since you have that problem with your-" Jack cut in suddenly.

"How do you know about that?" he asked angrily. The Goddess laughed.

"Jack, my dear, I know everything. I'm the Goddess, after all!" Jack sighed and sat back down on the hard ground. Something told him that he'd need a seat after all this.

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"So, everyone here pretty much forgot about you?" Jack sat languidly against one of the trees that framed the pond. The Goddess was lying in mid-air, her chin balanced on one hand.

"Yep. All but one girl, and I think she only prays to me because I'm her last hope of being cured." She rolled her eyes and continued. "Honestly! You humans think I'll do anything for some pretty words! There's a reason why the Mayans cut people up, you know!" Jack had stopped listening at "being cured."

"Do you mean the brunette girl on the farm? Ohh, what's her name again...? Celia!" Jack snapped his fingers and smiled. The Goddess raised one eyebrow.

"Yes, she's Celia. Clever boy. Somebody's done their stalking." Jack blushed.

"I'm not stalking her, Takakura told me about her!"

"Hmm. Well, anyway. You're the first person to give me an offering since the old guy who owned the farm before you died. The crotchety old swine only gave me flowers so he could stare at my breasts." The Goddess pouted and sat up.

"I take it you weren't fond of him, then." Jack smiled, but stopped when he saw the sadness in her eyes.

"Pete was... gentler when his wife was alive. Then she died and he just closed up. He would just come and listen to me talk. His son didn't come to either of his parents' funerals, you know."

"How sad..." Jack gazed into the sky. Silence descended on the pair. Then the Goddess clapped her hands together and smiled.

"Enough about such sad things. We need to figure out a way of helping you on the farm without anybody finding out! And I have the perfect idea. Harvest Sprites!"

"Harvest Sprites?" Jack frowned.

"Yes! Hey! You Sprites! Come out and make yourselves useful!" The Goddess called towards a tall tree. There was a rustling sound. Suddenly, several small creatures appeared right beside Jack. They were dressed in different coloured clothes, and they all wore sunglasses. Jack swore under his breath in surprise when one of them lowered his glasses and winked at him.

"You called, oh mighty Harvest Goddess?" One of the beings bowed, the others following suit.

"I did. I want you all to help Jack on his farm, starting tomorrow. Jack has a damaged lung, so you need to keep an eye on him, 'kay?" All of the Sprites nodded in agreement.

"Hey! Don't just go blurting out everything about me!" Jack protested.

"We would have figured it out sooner or later." A Sprite in red folded his arms and stared at Jack. One of his companions, a Sprite in yellow nodded.

"Yeah. You'd faint or something. You humans are really weak!"

Jack glared at the Sprites for a moment, then sighed in exasperation.

"Fine! Whatever. It's not like you can blab to anyone." The Sprites grinned together.

"You'll need to pay us."

"We're implementing a new payment scheme, but it's not ready yet, so you can pay us the old fashioned way."

"In other words, flour is fine."

"Flour?" Jack asked.

"Yeah. We like flour. One bag per Sprite." With that, the Sprites disappeared. The Goddess laughed lightly.

"Come by and see me tomorrow after your work. I've spent a long time without adequate company. I need someone to talk to!" She sank into the pond. Jack stood, alone once again by the clear water.

"This is so messed up." He sighed, and turned to go back to the farm.

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Ooh, now you know what's wrong with Jack, but how did it happen?

Sorry, you won't find out for a little while yet!

Once again, please r&r.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hee, I have two subscribers~**

**I feel all fuzzy. Thanks, you guys~**

**Okay, in this chapter, Jack meets and greets some of the villagers. Including Nami. =D**

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Jack wiped the sweat from his brow and looked around the farmland. With the help of some sprites dressed in green, he'd managed to clear the field of weeds in less than half a day. The purple sprites had replenished his energy when his chest became tight. It was certainly more effective than the bitter medicine he'd brought with him from the city.

"Mr Jack!" Jack glanced down at the small sprite by his foot. This sprite was higher in authority than the others, and was one of those that had greeted him yesterday.

"What is it, umm...?" Jack rubbed the back of his neck. There were so many sprites; he'd pretty much forgotten their names.

"Forest, Mr Jack."

"Oh, right. Sorry."

"That's quite alright. Anyway, you didn't get to meet any of the villagers yesterday, did you? You should go and introduce yourself." Forest stared solemnly at Jack.

"But there's still work to do." Jack sighed.

"We can finish it. We will work on the farm until 6pm. A lot of work has already been done, so you can go without feeling guilty." Forest shooed Jack towards the entrance to the farm with his tiny hands.

"Well, if you're... sure..." Jack stumbled away, helped by two sprites dragging him by the hem of his jeans.

Violetto, the purple Team Leader, teleported next to Forest.

"He seems like a hard worker." Forest commented.

"Yeah, but that means more work for me." Violetto grumbled. Forest smiled.

"It means more work for everyone, I suppose. But at least we have something to do now, instead of just sitting around, watching the Sprite Channels." Violetto nodded.

"Well, since I'm not use here anymore, I'll take my team back to the Sprite Tree, to replenish our magic." He teleported away, and in the distance Forest could hear his purple counterpart cheering over the small stack of flour Jack had left behind.

"Ah well, back to the old grind."

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Jack wandered along a neatly paved path, wondering what he could do. He could go and visit the Harvest Goddess again, but she'd just tell him to socialise as well. He sighed. There was no reason _not _to meet the villagers, but still Jack was reluctant to go out and meet them. It was irrational but –

"Well, hello there!" Jack jumped at the sound of a woman's voice. Standing in front of his was a voluptuous blonde, wearing a sexy red dress and a blue cardigan that hugged her curves just right. Jack dragged his eyes to meet hers and smiled.

"Hi. I'm Jack. I live at the farm now." The blonde cooed in delight.

"You're the new farmer? Well, aren't you a dish! I'm Muffy, and I help out at the Blue Bar. Why don't you come round tonight? It's a great place to meet people!"

"Umm... Okay." Jack grinned in embarrassment.

"See you at 5pm, sweetie!" Muffy winked and clicked off on an impossibly high pair of heels. Jack blinked and shook his head.

"Well, that was easy."

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Jack walked slowly into the foyer of the Inn. A curvy woman with dark skin and black hair stood with her back to the door. Jack padded up to the counter and gently pressed the bell. The woman squeaked in surprise and swung round.

"Ah! I'm sorry! D-Do you want a room?" She gasped.

"No, I'm the new farmer. I came to say hello. My name's Jack, sorry if I startled you." Jack grimaced in embarrassment.

"Oh, so you're the young man Takakura mentioned! My name is Ruby; it's a pleasure to meet you." Ruby smiled pleasantly.

"It's a pleasure meeting you too. Have you met my son and lodger yet? Oh, silly me, of course you won't have! I'll call them down." Ruby ran to the staircase and called out.

"Rock! Nami! The new farmer has come to say hello! Come and introduce yourselves!" There was silence, then the sound of feet on stairs as a young blond man and a red haired girl entered the foyer. Jack felt a small stab of attraction when he glanced at the woman.

"Hi, I'm Jack." He reached out an arm in greeting. Nami was the first to reach out in return, her soft hand enveloped in his.

"I'm Nami. Nice to meet you. Although, I don't envy you. Working on that trashed farm, that is." She smiled lopsidedly and stepped back beside Ruby.

"Heh, I don't mind it. I'll have it back in shape soon, I hope." Jack grinned. Nami blushed slightly and directed her gaze at the ground. The blond male was next to shake hands, squeezing Jack's hand a little too tight. Jack squeezed back and was amused to note that the man winced.

"I'm Rock. I'm pretty big with the ladies." Rock beamed.

"Is that so?" Jack raised an eyebrow. Nami stifled a giggle.

"Yep. If you ever need advice, you know who to come to. But, if you'll please excuse me, I have to go. It was fun meeting you, my good man." Rock nodded politely and swaggered out of the Inn. Nami snorted with laughter.

"Good with the ladies, my ass!" Ruby tutted indulgently at Nami's language and headed towards a doorway that lead into the back of the Inn. Jack turned and grinned at Nami.

"So, I take it that Rock isn't as hot with women as he thinks?" Nami nodded, her lips curved in laughter. Jack regarded her for a moment. She was certainly very pretty, even if she did hide her figure under baggy clothes. Although he was only guessing at that.

"Well, as much as I would enjoy talking a bit longer, I have to get going." Jack sighed regretfully.

"You do?" Nami seemed a little upset. Jack nodded.

"Well, come back and visit any time, okay?" With that, the red head sauntered back upstairs. Jack tilted his head to one side in the empty hall.

"Well, well, well. This place could prove to be more interesting than I first thought." Jack smiled and left the Inn.

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Jack meets some more villagers in the next chapter. To be specific, he meets Lumina, the Witch Princess, Celia and Flora.

Tune in next time, and don't forget to r&r~


	5. Chapter 5

**Oh nooooo! I've been so baaad. ;-; **

**I'm sorry I haven't updated in like, months!**

**I promise I'll make regular updates from now on!**

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Jack wandered away from the Inn, past a small building he suspected was the Blue Bar. There was a row of pretty houses to his right, with flower boxes flourishing outside each dainty window. He smiled faintly at the twee scene. Jack's reverie was disturbed by a door slamming open and a young blonde girl storming out of the house. She turned and let out a scream of exasperation.

"You are the worst dad _ever_! ** I** **hate you**!" The girl ran past Jack before pelting up a set of steps further ahead. Jack whistled in surprise and turned to see the target of her anger hunched miserably in the doorway of the small house.

"Are you okay, sir?" Jack asked tentatively.

"Ah, I'm fine. Just... a father-daughter argument. You know how it is. Are you a tourist here?" The black haired man before Jack tried to smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"No, I'm living on the farm. My name's Jack." Jack wondered quite how many people he would have to repeat this to.

"Ah, welcome to Forget-Me-Not, Jack. I hope you enjoy living here. My name is Grant, and that young lady you saw running off was my daughter, Kate." Grant gave another half hearted smile.

"Will she be okay on her own?" Jack asked.

"Oh, she'll be fine. She's probably gone to see Lumina up at the mansion. You should go as well, introduce yourself to Romana and Lumina."

"I will, thanks. Goodbye, Grant." Jack grinned and walked up the path. When he heard the door shut behind him, he grimaced slightly.

"He's very depressing, isn't he?" Jack remarked to no-one in particular.

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Gazing up at the rather large mansion, Jack thought about how much money it would cost him to have a house like it.

"Sod that." He muttered quietly and skirted round the elegant fountain in the middle of the courtyard. He knocked on the wide doors, then pushed gently against them when he got no reply. Inside was an opulent hallway, with an imposing staircase leading upstairs. Jack carefully wiped his feet on the welcome mat by the door before moving further into the hall.

"Hello?" he called out cautiously. There was no reply, but Jack could faintly hear a piano playing in the next room. He carefully padded over to the door and knocked on it. There was silence, then the door creaked open. A young woman stood in front of Jack. She had short blonde hair and wore a drab khaki dress, livened up with a bright orange neckerchief.

"Oh, um, hello. I knocked on the front door, but nobody answered so I kinda..." Jack rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"It's fine. We often get visitors, because of the mansion's grand appearance, so we leave the door unlocked." The young woman smiled gently and gestured inside the room. "Would you like to come in?"

"Ah, well, I came to say hello. I've moved to the new farm, you see."

"A farmer? A respectable job, indeed!" A voice cried out from behind Jack. He jumped and span round to come face to face with an elderly lady. She wore a white blouse and grey shirt with a deep purple shawl wrapped around her shoulders. Her hair was elegantly coiffed.

"Oh, hello madam! I-I didn't see you there." Jack struggled to control his breathing. She'd taken him by surprise, and he hated being taken by surprise. It made his chest hurt.

"My name is Romana, and I am the lady of this household. This is my granddaughter, Lumina. Lumina, have you introduced yourself to our guest yet?" Lumina winced and shook her head. Romana sighed.

"Really Lumina, how do you expect to become a proper lady if you do not behave accordingly?" Romana shook her head disapprovingly.

"Ah, um, I'm afraid I have to run. Work on the farm, and all that." Jack backed away from the pair, sensing the volatile atmosphere between them.

"Of course, my dear boy! Feel free to come back and visit any time." Romana smiled indulgently. Lumina waved slightly from behind her grandmother. Jack waved back then left quickly.

"Jeeze, that got awkward fast." Jack slipped out of the door into the courtyard. He didn't notice the figure hidden behind a wall to his right.

"Jack..." A female voice whispered. Jack shivered.

"Come over here, Jack." Jack's body swung right. He tried to stop, but his feet wouldn't obey. His breath caught in his chest. Jack walked towards a small shed hidden behind the mansion.

"Step right on in, Jack." The voice purred in his ear. Jack tried to turn his head, but it wouldn't move.

"Who... are you?!" Jack struggled vainly.

"I... am the Witch Princess."

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Forest stopped suddenly. Something was wrong, but he couldn't tell what it was.

"Hey, Paddy. Do you feel like there's something up?" The little sprite nodded.

"I thought it was just me." The other sprites chipped in, agreeing that something wasn't right.

"Wait a minute..." Vail piped up, "I can't sense Jack anymore."

The field was silent as all twelve of the sprites digested this information.

"He went to visit the villagers... Oh, no!" Forest slammed a fist into his palm.

"What's wrong, boss?" Matthew asked.

"The Witch Princess must have gotten to him! Somebody fetch the Harvest Goddess!"

There was a flurry of activity as several sprites ran around in circles before slamming into one another. Forest sighed in exasperation and teleported to the pond to tell the Goddess.

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Ommmm. What's going to happen to Jack?

We'll find out in a couple of days (when I finish the next chapter; six hour shift at work before then – blee!) and Jack will meet the last of the regular bachelorettes!


	6. Chapter 6

**I am so sorry about how long this has taken. Writer's block has kicked in with a vengeance, and it's been really hard to get through this chapter. But rest assured, I have plans for the next one, so that should take far less time. I'm also planning on maybe doing a few one-shots for Harvest Moon and Danny Phantom, just to write something down while I try and figure out where on Earth this story is going.**

**So stay tuned, because I'll be barrelling ahead as soon as I get some ideas!**

The Harvest Goddess trailed her hand delicately through the water. She was bored silly.

"If only there was some entertainment for me. I wish something would happen, just so I could watch it." She sighed, and plopped into an elegant throne. It was at that moment Forest teleported just in front of the Goddess's nose. She squeaked in surprise and swatted the little green being away.

"Harvest Goddess! The Witch Princess has kidnapped Jack!" Forest cried.

"What?! Are you sure?" The Harvest Goddess gasped. This wasn't what she meant by entertainment!

"Well, we don't know for _sure_, but we can't sense him in the valley any more, and the Witch can hide people." Forest rubbed the tips of his index fingers together.

"Well, I was getting bored. I suppose bothering the Witch will have to do." The Goddess laughed and teleported away.

"Tadaaaaaaaaa! ~" The Goddess appeared in a shower of green sparks, right in the middle of the Witch's house. Both Jack and the Witch looked up surprised, from the cups of tea they were drinking.

"Ahh! It's you again, you rotten nuisance! Stop saying 'tadaaaaaa~', or I'll hex you!" The Witch screamed furiously.

"Well, you're the one who kidnapped Jack!" The Goddess retorted.

"I didn't kidnap him! I only made him walk into my house! He's drinking my tea of his own accord!"

"I don't know _why_ any _sane_ person would drink your tea willingly, Vivian!"

"I told you not to call me that, _Cefi-_" The Witch snapped back.

"**Not in front of humans!**" The Goddess hollered. The room fell silent.

"I, err... Think I'll leave you two to talk. Thanks for the potions, Vivi." Jack edged away from the panting women. As he fled the house, he heard the Goddess yell,

"And now you're trying to _poison_ him?!"

Jack sighed.

"Is everyone in this valley insane?"

Jack meandered slowly along the path that led to the other farm. It would be polite to introduce himself to his fellow farmers. After all, they would be the best people to turn to for advice.

Ahead of him, a familiar red-haired woman strode into a small building, followed closely by a young brunette. Jack followed curiously. He'd noticed the shack (there was no better word for it – it was rather run down, after all) when he'd arrived in the valley. It wasn't a house, that much was clear.

So what _was_ it?

Jack gently pushed against the door. It opened easily.

"Hello?" He asked cautiously.

"Hello there! Ah, I see it's our new rival! How are you?" Vesta was standing behind a battered wooden table organising what looked like seed bags. Celia was in a corner, sorting crops into different boxes. She turned and waved with a soft smile on her face, then returned to her work.

"I wouldn't say we're rivals. That would suggest I'm competition for you." Jack grinned slightly.

Vesta let out a booming laugh.

"Don't be silly! I'm sure a strong man like you will have that farm turned around in a jiffy! Now then, did you come in for some seeds, or just to say hello?"

"Ah, I'm afraid the field isn't really ready for any planting yet, I think." Jack rubbed the back of his neck shamefully.

"Don't worry about it. It was in pretty bad shape when you came. Don't tell Takakura, but there was no way he was able to handle so much land on his own. Not that anyone blames him. I would struggle without Celia and Marlin." Jack nodded in agreement.

"Well, I'll let you get on with your work." Jack smiled and turned to leave.

"Ah, just one moment. Take these with you." Vesta dug around in the bags for a moment, and then pulled out two white bags with "Turnip" scrawled on them with black marker pen.

"Take these. It's not much, but it'll give you a bit of income when you're sorting the rest of the field out."

"I couldn't possibly-"Vesta laughed and pressed the bags into Jack's arms.

"Take 'em! I know how hard it can be prepping a field for crops. It's disheartening when you don't see anything growing. Plus, you'll need a bit of money coming in since you don't have any animals."

"Thanks!" Jack smiled and left the little shop, a happy expression on his face. On his way down the path, he passed the black haired man, Marlin.

"Evening!" Jack grinned.

"Evening." Marlin seemed to be caught off guard for a moment, but swiftly recovered and offered a small smile in return. His deep blue eyes noticed the bags in Jack's arms.

"Been seed shopping?"

"Ah, no. Vesta gave them to me. I would've preferred to pay something, but..."

"Don't sweat it. Consider it a newbie kit." Marlin's smile deepened.

"Hah, more like an "I don't know anything" kit." Jack rolled his eyes at his own lack of knowledge and Marlin laughed slightly.

"I'll see you around, Jack. And don't worry, you'll learn as you go along." Marlin walked into the seed shack, leaving Jack standing on the path. Jack shook his head good-naturedly and glanced at his watch.

"_Shit!_" And there went his good mood. It was 4:30, and Jack had half an hour to get home, make himself slightly more presentable and hurry over to the Bar. Jack shot down the path towards the farm, narrowly avoiding a collision with a blonde woman sitting on the bridge.

"I'm sorry! I wasn't paying attention to where I was going!" Jack said.

"Ah, it's fine. ~ Are you Jack? ~ Hmm, Muffy was right... ~" The woman replied thoughtfully. Jack could practically _see_ the tildes.

"Uh, yeah, I'm Jack. Wait, people are talking about me?"

"Oh, it's nothing bad. ~ It's just... we don't often get people moving in. ~ The last person who came here to live was Nami. ~ I'm Flora, by the way. ~" Flora smiled benignly at Jack.

"It's nice to meet you, Flora." Jack bit his lip slightly. He didn't want to be late and risk irritating Muffy, but he couldn't just run off from a new neighbour! Flora seemed to read his mind.

"You're supposed to be visiting the Blue Bar tonight, aren't you? ~ Well, you'd better hurry; Muffy can be moody about people being late. ~ Although, I'm sure she'll make an exception for you. ~" Flora winked and Jack was horrified to feel a blush spreading across his cheeks.

"Wh-what do you mean by that?!" Jack replied hotly, forgetting his manners. Flora giggled.

"I mean, Muffy will go easy on you since you're new. ~ But don't get used to it! ~ You'd best be off. ~ I hope we get a better chance to talk another day, Jack. ~" Flora shooed him away towards the main path.

"Right! I'll see you again, Flora! ~" Jack slapped a hand over his mouth as he ran off towards his farm.

"Her accent is contagious!"

Jack arrived at the bar fifteen minutes late. Sneaking in apprehensively, he didn't notice a buxom blonde standing behind the door.

"Well, there you are! And here I was thinking you'd chickened out on me!" Jack stifled a curse and swung round. Muffy giggled and dragged him up to the bar. Jack gazed around silently. The bar was small, but cosy. Several men looked curiously at the newcomer, before returning to their drinks. Muffy trotted round to the other side of the bar before resting her elbows against it, staring intently at Jack.

"Do you want a drink?"

"You got anything that's alcohol free?" Jack replied absentmindedly.

"This is a bar, sweetie." Muffy giggled. Jack's cheeks flushed.

"Aw, lay off him, Muffy. You know we have drinks without booze in." A lean man appeared suddenly from a doorway in a corner. He had messy brown hair, and a moustache that framed his mouth impressively.

"Shoot, I was just having fun, Griffin..." Muffy pouted.

"I'm all too aware of your idea of fun, missy." Griffin laughed. He turned to Jack with a kind smile.

"The name's Griffin. Sorry about Muffy, she can get a bit excitable when she meets someone new." Muffy glared at her boss for a few moments before a grin and a laugh escaped her. She turned to the wall of bottle behind the bar and grabbed a couple before handing them over to Griffin.

"I'm a little shaky on the makin' part." Muffy drawled to Jack. He suppressed a smirk and watched Griffin prepare the drink.

"This here's a favourite of mine. It's an elderflower cordial, but it has berry juices in it to take away the dryness. Let me know what you think." Griffin slid the drink over to Jack and watched intently as Jack took a hesitant sip.

"It's good!" Jack said, surprised.

"Don't sound so shocked, sweetie. 'Else Griffin might just slip something alcoholic in your drink next time." Muffy's lips curved upwards. **(AN: Jaysus, I need some new words for smile.)**

"Hah, very funny." Jack rolled his eyes at Muffy while Griffin laughed.

The next two hours passed pleasantly for Jack. He was introduced to Gustafa, a wandering musician who had decided to stop wandering in Forget-Me-Not. The two men struck up an amicable chat, briefly punctuated by Muffy and Griffin throwing an opinion or joke into the mix. Eventually, the long day caught up to Jack and he found himself stifling yawns frequently.

"You should get yourself home, Jack. It ain't cool if you're too tired. You'll fall asleep over your hoe tomorrow." Gustafa raised an eyebrow at the fifth yawn in as many minutes.

"You're probably right. It _has_ been a pretty busy day." Jack stretched in his seat.

"It'll be even busier tomorrow. Get home and get some sleep." Muffy frowned and the young man.

"Mmf. I'll head home, then. How much for-"

"Consider tonight a welcome gift." Griffin smiled.

"Thanks! See ya." Jack hopped off the stool and headed out of the bar, waving goodbye to his new friends. The sun was starting to set as he walked briskly home. Standing by the entrance of the farm, Jack gazed back at the tiny village, the orange light making it glow as though it were on fire.

"Maybe this won't be so hard after all." With that, Jack span round and headed to the farmhouse.

It was going to be a long day tomorrow, after all.

**Urgh, that was the worse ending ever. I apologise completely for it. My mind went kaput.**

**The next chapter hopefully come soon, but it'll probably be a lot shorter than this one. I'm debating whether or not to reveal more of Jack's past too.**

**But you'll have to wait and see about that!**

**Rora over and out!**


	7. Chapter 7

**EDIT: I'm aware the story is retardedly hard to read atm. When I figure out how to put those damn lines in, we'll be in business, and I'll prettify it up some more. Until then, bear with me, and assume that if there's a change in scene, there should be a line break.**

**Sometimes I am the most worst. Why? You'll see in this chapter.**

**I feel so bad for Jack, considering what I'm about to put him through...**

**Enjoy, and don't forget to R&R!**

.....................

Jack was woken up the next morning by a harsh knock on the front door. Muttering to himself, he dragged himself out of bed and yanked on some crumpled clothes before shuffling to answer the door.

"H'llo?" Jack mumbled, wiping sleep from his eyes. Takakura was standing in the doorway, hand raised to knock again.

"Your mother just rang, Jack." There was a hint of steel in his words. Jack froze.

"She did? This early? That's not like her..." Jack laughed uneasily.

"You didn't mention your injury when you bought the farm." Takakura snapped. He regretted it when Jack flinched.

"It's not as bad as she makes it out to be, honest!" Jack raised his hands in defence.

"That's not what I heard." Concern flickered in the older man's eyes. Takakura folded his arms and frowned unhappily.

"Look, I won't argue with you, as long as you come with me to get checked up." Jack's shoulders slumped in exasperation.

"I got checked up before I came here!"

"That may be so, but the valley doctor won't have your records." Takakura and Jack stood glaring at each other, before Jack sighed and turned away.

"Can't he just have the records I brought with me?" There was a slight whine in his voice. Takakura chuckled quietly.

"I'm afraid Hardy would rather see you himself." Jack pouted and shut the door. Takakura stood, shocked, before the door promptly swung back open and Jack walked out, a brown file in his hands.

"May as well get it over with..."

......

Takakura glanced over at the moody young man trudging beside him. He had only known Jack for two days, but this attitude was completely out of sorts! His thoughts were interrupted by a brief sigh from Jack.

"I **hate** medicals." Takakura snorted. Was that it? They arrived at a small house that was relatively close to the farm entrance. The older man knocked lightly on the door; a gruff voice summoned them inside. Jack hesitated, before a light push against his back forced him into the house. A bald man was sat at a table in the middle of the room, scribbling furiously into a notebook.

"Hardy." Takakura prompted the man. Hardy heaved a sigh and turned to face the pair.

"Holy shit..." Jack breathed. There was a snort of amusement form Takakura, while Hardy rolled his eyes.

Or rather, his eye. Hardy's left eye socket was occupied by a menacing circle of grey, with a blinking red light in the centre. A long white scar lay across the left side of the old man's face, broken by the robotic eye.

"I take it you forgot to tell the poor boy about my eye?" Hardy raised an eyebrow at Takakura, who was wiping away tears of laughter.

"Clean slipped my mind, Hardy." Takakura managed to compose himself, and gently pushed the shell-shocked Jack towards Hardy.

"I don't bite, boy." Hardy growled.

"You look like you do." Jack slapped a hand over his mouth in horror as Takakura burst into laughter again.

"You've got spunk, kid. I like you." Hardy's mouth twitched into a smile. If anything, it was even more menacing.

"Sit down, and let's have a look at these notes of yours. Taka came round exceptionally early to ask me to check you over." Hardy held out an expectant hand. Jack handed him the file resignedly. He flopped into a chair next to Takakura while Hardy flicked through the file. At first, the man sat frowning slightly, his eye darting across the page quickly. But further through the notes, he slowed, and even doubled back. Jack leaned back in his chair, a sulky pout fixed on his face. Every time. Every time a doctor read the damn file, they got all shocked. And this time was no exception. Hardy's face was white, and every so often he would swear under his breath. Eventually, he dropped the file onto the table and stared at Jack.

"How in the blazes are you even **alive** right now?!"

"Pixie dust?" Jack shrugged, "I dunno. I was unconscious for most of it. You'd have to ask the surgeon."

Takakura sat forward, eager to hear the details. Hardy glanced at Jack, who nodded.

"May as well tell him. I don't fancy doing it myself." Hardy cleared his throat and picked up a piece of paper.

"It says here, that at age 17, you were subjected to something 'akin to torture' which led to seven broken ribs, both your arms broken, severe organ damage, severe blood loss, fluid on the brain and a collapsed lung. And yet, here you are at 22, seemingly fine." Hardy sent a piercing stare at Jack, who shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. Takakura's eyes widened and he snapped round to stare at Jack as well.

"Will you both stop that?!" Jack snapped anxiously. Both men continued to stare.

"Look, **I don't know** what happened! I spent nine months in a coma! Asking me how I survived is like asking a baby the square root of 144!"

"But Jack, how on Earth did it _happen_?" Takakura asked. Jack stiffened. Hardy sat forward, interest in his eye. Clearly, this was a touchy subject for the young man.

"That... That's not something I'm comfortable discussing..." Jack whispered. He squeezed his hands together worriedly. Brown eyes pleaded with the older men.

"Fine, we won't push it. For now, at least. Anyway, I want to do a thorough check up after reading that." Hardy stood up and pulled out a pair of rubber gloves from thin air. Terror flashed through Jack's eyes and he made a bid for freedom, before being pinned in his chair by Takakura.

"I thought you were supposed to help me!" He cried plaintively to the older man.

"I _am_ helping you."

"**This is not helping!**" Jack howled.

"Oh, relax. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just going to check your breathing, your heart rate, et cetera." The doctor strolled around the table to stand in front of Jack.

"Why do you have rubber gloves for that?!"

"I like rubber gloves." Hardy smirked. Jack struggled once more, before giving up and slumping in his seat.

"Atta boy. Now, could you take off your shirt?" Jack grumbled under his breath, but unbuttoned the shirt anyway. Hardy let out a hiss of surprise.

Jack's chest was covered in scars. They ranged from tiny blemishes, to a huge white slash across his left breast. Hardy gently traced a finger along this scar, ignoring the young man's shiver. It just skimmed the position of his heart. It had clearly been a deep wound. Hardy indicated for Jack to lean forward.

"It doesn't go all the way through, if that's what you're wondering." Jack cut in. Hardy gazed silently at him for a moment, before standing back up from his kneeling position and walking over to a bookcase. He picked up a box and carried it over to the table. Jack looked curiously at it. Hardy pulled out a stethoscope and knelt in front of Jack again, pressing the cool metal to his chest. Jack's heart and right lung were fine, but his left lung was struggling. Sitting back on his heels, Hardy observed the young man. Now that he knew about it, it was obvious that Jack had difficulties breathing properly. There was a slight tensing in his chest every time he breathed in, not to mention the rasping noise.

"What medication are you currently taking?" The doctor asked suddenly. Jack jolted to attention.

"Uhh, I don't remember the names, but there's an anti-inflammatory, some kind of drug they use for asthma patients, I think and some mild steroids?" Hardy nodded thoughtfully.

"You can go home now. I've seen all I need to see. Come back tomorrow, and bring your medication. I'll want to see you once a week from now on as well. We'll discuss it more tomorrow." Hardy shooed Jack to the door, but shook his head when Takakura moved to follow.

"I'll meet you back at the farm, Jack." Takakura said. Jack nodded, and walked off. The two men watched silently, before re-entering the house.

"Keep him from working today. I want to check his meds before he does anything." Hardy said in a low voice.

"Is he fit to work on a farm?" Takakura asked.

"His left lung is very weak. _Very _weak. To be honest, I'm surprised he managed yesterday. Maybe his right lung is carrying the work. Time will tell. Make sure you keep a close eye on him, though. I'd rather catch any problems early." Takakura nodded.

"I'll head back; stop him from doing anything stupid." Takakura waved goodbye to his old friend and hurried off to the farm. Hardy stood thinking to himself. Questions ran through his head. How did Jack survive injuries to that extent? How did he get them in the first place? And why was he so damn secretive about his own health?

Hardy sighed.

"One thing's for sure. I have a lot more work on my hands."

......

Days turned into weeks, and Jack began to settle in well. His friendship with Muffy, Griffin and Gustafa helped him make friends with other villagers. He met Flora's boss, Carter, and gained access to the mines. He helped the old lady, Nina, home after she felt ill, and gained a firm friendship with her and her husband, Galen.

But, his injury slowly got worse. The exertion on his scarred lung weakened it more and more each day, and Jack regularly found himself short of breath. Hardy and Vivi's medicines helped a bit, but more often than not, he would have to stop what he was doing and gasp for air. The constricting sensation in his chest frightened him. But Jack refused to give up. He'd bought this farm, and he was damned if he was going to quit!

......

One Spring afternoon, Jack had been to see Nina and Galen at their little cottage. They rarely left the secluded safety of their house, due to Nina's ill health. Jack regularly visited them with vegetables, or flowers. He was fond of the old couple; they reminded him of the grandparents he'd never had. After a couple of hours of chat, Jack left them for the Goddess Pond. He visited it daily, to chat to the beautiful deity there. A brisk walk got him there in time to see Vivi and the Goddess arguing. Again. The Sprites were gathered around the Pond, attempting to calm the two magical women, to no avail. Jack wandered over to Oran, the Leader of the Lumber Team.

"What are they arguing about this time?" he asked breathlessly. Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to walk so fast.

"Oh, The Witch Princess is angry at The Harvest Goddess for saying 'ta-daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! ~' too many times." Oran rolled his eyes. This was a regular argument.

"Geez, again? You'd think they'd settle it by now." Jack tried to laugh but it turned into a cough. His chest squeezed painfully. Oran raised a worried eyebrow. Jack shook his head, not trusting himself with words. The orange Sprite said nothing. Their attention was grabbed by Vivi's yelling.

"Ooooh! You think you're all that, but you're not! You're just really annoying!"

"Well, at least my magic works right!" The Goddess retorted.

"Oh, you did **not**- !"

"Calm down!" Jack butted in. The women were close to blows.

"**Stay out of this!**" Both of them yelled at him, before turning back to each other.

"Don't talk to Jack like that!"

"You said the exact same thing!"

"As if I'd think the same as you, annoying old hag! Everyone knows that green hair isn't natural!"

"You shut your mouth!"

Jack blocked their voices out. His chest was burning with pain now. He gripped a nearby branch to steady himself. His vision was blurring, too.

"Jack, are you alright?!" Violetto's voice wavered beside Jack. At least, it sounded like it was wavering.

"Oh dear, oh dear! Stay awake, Jack!" Guts, the boss of all the Sprites, shook Jack's arm. How could he not stay awake? It was really... noisy...

The Sprites all panicked when Jack fell to his knees, face contorted in agony. One hand gripped his chest while the other dug into the ground.

"C-Can't... brea- !" A harsh cough cut through Jack's desperate cry. Blood spattered the ground. The Sprites gazed at it in horror.

"_Do_ something, Violetto! Or any of you healing Sprites!" A fishing sprite called Blue pleaded. Violetto shook his head.

"We don't have any magic right now! It gets restored in half an hour!"

"He can't wait that long!" Blue snapped. It was true. Jack's lungs had both started to collapse, the stress of his work piling pressure on them.

He was dying.

Jack's arm gave way and he hit the ground. He was too busy trying to suck air into his failing lungs to care. Blood trickled slowly out of his mouth.

"Harvest Goddess! Witch Princess!" Violetto cried out. The women were too busy arguing to pay any attention to the Sprite or the fallen man.

"That won't get their attention!" Guts snapped.

"Well, you do it then!"

"Fine! But you all owe me for this..." Guts took a deep breath.

"**Vivian! Cefia!**" Both women snapped round to glare at the Sprite.

"How dare you use that name- **Jack!**" The Goddess and The Witch hurried to Jack's side. His eyes had glazed over. Vivian gently rolled him onto his back.

"Jack? Can you hear me?" She asked. There was no reply, save for a slight spasm and choking cough. Vivian winced at the sound of it. She turned to The Goddess.

"Cefia, you have to heal him!" Cefia backed off slowly clearly torn.

"I can't get involved in his life anymore! It was bad enough the first time I helped him, then I let him see me... I've broken too many rules!"

"So you want to go back to hiding from humans! I thought that after Pete, you would've changed your mind..." Vivian glared at Cefia before turning her attentions back to Jack.

"Исцели!" She muttered, waving her hands over Jack's chest. Nothing happened.

"Исцели! Исцели!!" Vivian's voice became more frantic. Jack's body still shuddered in pain.

"It's not working!" She cried, driven to tears. It pained her to admit it, but she had grown fond of the brunet. He was the only friend she'd had in a long time.

"If he dies, I will never let you live peacefully!" Vivian snarled at Cefia. The green haired deity ignored Vivian, her eyes focused on Jack's stilling form. She squeezed her eyes shut and muttered under her breath.

"Prop him up, Vivi." Vivian was too surprised to object to Cefia using her nickname. She lifted Jack torso off the ground. His arms hung limply, and blood ran down the back of his neck from his mouth in a race to reach the ground.

"I haven't done this trick in a thousand years..." Cefia mumbled, kneeling beside Jack. She carefully wiped the blood away from his open mouth, and lifted his jaw closed with her other hand. Then, steeling herself, she kissed Jack on the lips. He jolted slightly when her magic flowed into him. Vivian blinked, surprised. Then she gasped. There was a faint green glow in Jack's chest, but just as soon as she saw it, it disappeared. Cefia pulled away and looked critically at Jack. His eyes had closed peacefully, but he was breathing.

"There. He won't need you healing his chest pains any more, Violetto. I've cured him." The Sprites had been standing in shock, but they all cheered.

"Why didn't you do that in the first place?!" Vivian snapped.

"Were you even listening? I've interfered too much in his life! Sure, it might have been the right thing to do, but now his wellbeing lies under my care! I can't do that again..." Cefia cast distraught green eyes at the sky, before taking a deep breath and looking down at Vivian, a stern expression on his face.

"Sit him against that tree. Make sure there's no blood anywhere around here. That mortal doctor will get suspicious. It's bad enough that Jack now has a fully working lung when he didn't before. I don't want the villagers getting any ideas about this place." Cefia turned and floated towards the centre of her pond.

"Wait just a minute! Where do you think you're going?!" Vivian demanded.

"I need to go and do something. It involves Jack. And before you ask, no, I am not telling any of you what that something is." With that, Cefia disappeared in a shower of green sparks. The Sprites looked at Vivian, before teleporting away as well.

"Oh, for pity's sake! You're all so lazy!"

......

Jack forced his eyes open with a groan. His head hurt like hell, and he was pretty sure that seeing spots was bad. He flopped back against the pillow and-

Wait, pillow?

Jack sat bolt upright. He was in his own bed. He could faintly hear people muttering downstairs. Sliding slowly out of bed, Jack winced. Everywhere seemed to hurt. Well, everywhere except his chest. It was very odd. Usually, it was the other way around.

Jack padded slowly downstairs, clutching his head. It felt as though someone had driven a sledgehammer into it. Emerging into the main living space, Jack saw Hardy and Takakura sat at the table, talking quietly but anxiously to each other. Hardy noticed Jack first, and leapt to his feet.

"Jack! You need to stay in bed!" Takakura snapped round in his chair.

"I do?" Jack wobbled slightly. Hardy and Takakura rushed to steady him.

"We found you unconscious by the Goddess Pond. Your lung must have collapsed. You need to take it easy!" Takakura said.

"My chest feels fine. Everything else..." Jack winced. The two older men helped him to a chair where he sat tiredly, tolerating the doctor's gentle proddings.

"Take a deep breath, Jack. I need to check the extent of the damage." Jack complied. Hardy frowned.

"Do it again." Jack did.

"Again." Jack frowned, but obeyed the doctor.

"Something's not right here."

"What's wrong, Hardy?" Takakura asked. He was worried about Jack.

"His chest sounds perfectly fine. In fact, if I didn't know better, I'd say there was nothing wrong with him at all."

"Seriously?"

"I don't joke about this sort of thing. It's like his lungs are brand new. But with the injury he had, the scar on his left lung should be hindering normal breathing." Jack slowly tuned the other men out. His memories were slowly coming back to him. The Goddess and Vivi fighting by the pond. The sudden pain in his chest. The Goddess' real name! And... something about him being in her care?

Jack suddenly flushed bright red. He also remembered the Goddess - no, Cefia - kissing him. And the warm feeling in his chest...

She had healed him?

What on Earth had happened?

.....................

**Lolololol, cliffhanger! I kinda have an idea for the next chapter, but don't expect it to be as long as this. This is like two chapters rolled into one!**

**Just in case you were wondering, the word Vivi used when she was trying to heal Jack was "Heal!" is Macedonian. I spent about five minutes in Google Translate looking for a language with symbols. And believe me, it's hard to find the right one!**

**Also, Vivian and Cefia are the names of the WP and the HG from Animal Parade. I just borrowed them. And the reason why Cefia kissed Jack to heal him is a reference to the Doghouse Battle minigame from HM: DS, which is what this story is based on (loosely).**

**The next chapter will probably explain some of the magic in this story. Just to make things easier for you guys. So it'll be filler, basically. Sorry!**

**See you next time!**


End file.
